1000 Times a Day
by watchxxthexsky
Summary: Living without her is not an option. There is no other woman he can imaging loving, marrying, having children with. She's everything. Post 6x12.
1. Talk

Really how could I not write something after how 612 ended? This is going to be short, 3 maybe 4 chapters at most. Could be 2, I haven't decided, lol. I'm all over the map. This is short, but the next one or two will be long, I promise. I just got bored with everything else, but expect an update from TSITT soon.

* * *

_I'm so scared about the future and I wanna talk to you  
Oh I wanna talk to you  
You can take a picture of something you see  
In the future where will I be?_

"_I need to tell you something…"_ her tear-clogged voice trails off, and in an instant he's on his feet, shuffling out the door, leaving all thoughts of Dixon and LA in the room.

"_I collapsed the other day at work. The night you had that weird dream."_

His intake of air is sharp, he raises a hand to his forehead. "Why didn't you tell me? Are you okay - what does that mean?"

"_I've been having pain for a few days… I didn't want to tell you in case it was nothing. But I went to the doctor's…" _her choked sob has him clenching his teeth.

"Peyton, I need you to please tell me what's going on - what happened at the doctor's?"

He knows he's questioning her a little too much, but the woman he loves is half way across the country crying her eyes out, and he can't hold her. Love her, kiss her, take the pain away.

It's what he does best. But he can't do that when he's in LA with the director from Hell.

Officially, he feels like he's let her down - she'll never see it that way, but saving her is in his blood.

Her silence drones for moments, only a sniffle every few seconds, his ragged breathing filling in the space between silence and sniffles.

"_They ran some tests, took some blood. And then this picture of Ellie. I've been looking at it all day. I can't stop thinking, worrying…"_

If he wasn't worried before, he surely is now. Blood is running through his veins at an alarming speed, causing his heart to thump wildly beneath his chest. Almost as if it's going to come right out. His hands start to shake and his mouth runs dry. Oh God, he thinks - blood tests, pain, _Ellie_. His head starts to spin and he has to sit down. The world is tilting and nothing seems okay at this moment in time.

"Are you okay, Peyton?" Simply because, he doesn't know what else to say. Surely a writer must have the words to soothe her fears, but selfishly, he can't even soothe his own.

Her voice trembles across the connection. He can picture her shrugging and squeezing her eyes tight. _"I… no. Yes. I don't know - I just… I need you, Lucas."_

And there it is. She's said all he needs to hear. Whenever Peyton Sawyer needs Lucas Scott, time stands still, his world focuses in on one thing and one thing alone - saving the love of his life.

"I'm taking the next flight out."

They say their 'I love you's' and he's on the next flight connecting Los Angeles to Tree Hill. He says nothing to Dixon, barely remembers to grab his things from his hotel room, and knocks over a half dozen people on his journey to the airport. By the time he's seated comfortably on the plane, he's received five calls from Dixon, and eight from Julian - no doubt reprimanding him for leaving "A-list" Hollywood director. None of that matters. A flash of curls float through his mind, and his focus is redirected.

_You can climb a ladder up to the sun  
Or write a song nobody has sung  
Or do something that's never been done_

Somewhere over Oklahoma, Lucas is shaken out of a nightmare - he's dreamt that Peyton was stricken with cancer, the likes of which took her birth mother. They'd had only mere months together before she was taken from him, his dream had brought him to a fuzzy funeral and that's when he'd woken up, gasping for breath. The flight attendant had come by, and he'd quickly asked for some water.

Now that he's calmed his nerves, quickly drinking down the liquid - his thoughts focus back on his fiancée.

What if it is cancer?

Would it be treatable?

How early had they caught it?

What type of cancer?

What if she… died?

Tears form in the corners of his eyes, his throat begins to burn with rising emotion. They'd discussed long ago, when they were just kids in love, what would happen if they themselves, ever had children. The possibilities were there for HCM and the cancer gene to be passed down. Thinking this had only led Lucas to hold his then girlfriend tighter, all too aware of the fact that the disease could inflict her body.

And how here he was again, thinking the same thing… about to be physically ill.

Letting his thoughts get the best of him, he starts thinking of a future without Peyton. Ellie was young when she was taken - it wouldn't be unheard of for someone their age to be taken because of cancer.

He told her that she had been so good to him when he'd strayed from their love, but he'd never given his whole heart to any woman that wasn't Peyton Sawyer.

What if he has to live without her?

There is no other woman he can imagine loving, marrying, having children with besides his curly blonde. She's everything.

His fists clench, and he puts his head between his knees.

He figures this is what an anxiety attack must be, because his breathing is labored and his heart is tightening.

And then he thinks of what Peyton must be going through.

_Are you lost or incomplete?  
Do you feel like a puzzle, you can't find your missing piece?  
Tell me how do you feel?  
Well I feel like they're talking in a language I don't speak  
And they're talking it to me_

Lucas keeps it together enough as he's walking out of the plane, but as soon as his feet hit the floor, he's taking off in a mad sprint towards the exit. Only having brought a carry on, he runs with only one thought in mind.

When he feels the cool air of the fall day, he drops his suitcase, falling to his knees. Without warning, he's doubling over - all the contents of his stomach are being released into the grass.

Not caring what the on goers are thinking or even saying to him, he gets in the first taxi he sees, barely able to spit out their address.

_So you take a picture of something you see  
In the future where will I be?  
You can climb a ladder up to the sun_

Their home is quiet, dimly lit by a few lamps. He hears the soft notes of what he thinks is The Cure, and even though he claimed not to like the band, the smile on his face cannot be stopped.

She's here. She's home. She's safe.

_For now_, his subconscious echoes.

Shaking his head, he drops his bag to the floor, taking long strides to reach their bedroom. The door is open, inviting him to take a look at the gorgeous woman sprawled on the bed.

She's wearing a ragged band t-shirt, and a pair of his sleep shorts - had the situation they found themselves in not been so dire, he's sure he'd be removing the items of clothing in an instant.

But they are. And he can't. He closes his eyes to squelch the - yet _again_ - tears.

The deep rising and falling of her body indicates that she's asleep. Shrugging the clothes from his frame, save his boxers, he slips into the bed, immediately wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. He breathes a sigh of relief, and strokes her soft locks.

This is what he's been needing since their phone call. He hopes - in any way possible - that it's what she needs.

More than anything, he cares about what she needs.

"Luke?"

Her groggy voice breaks him from his thoughts and the feel of her warm skin beneath his fingertips.

He smiles, leaning down to press his lips to the back of her neck, staying there, having missed the taste of her skin, even more since their phone call.

Peyton turns in his arms, not bothering with small talk or excuses, just burrowing her head into his hold. She breathes deeply, letting the unique scent of him wash over her.

It calms her for moments, making her forget anything besides Lucas.

But then he's tilting her head back, and his questioning eyes refuse to let this go.

"Peyton?"

"I need to tell you something, Lucas."

Lucas sighs, but rubs her back. "I feel like that's the only thing you say to me lately," he jokes.

Peyton tries to smile, but it's half hearted.

He sits up, bringing her with him, so that she's still in his arms, but now they're resting against the headboard. While getting comfortable, his eyes drift to their nightstand, catching the pamphlets laying there, with the picture of Ellie and her as baby resting on top. His stomach drops.

Turning back to her, he sees the tears shining in her eyes. "Peyton… I don't want this to sound cruel or out of the blue. But after your frantic mumbling on the phone, and now this," he points to the papers, "I have to ask. Peyton, do you have cancer."

The tears pool and drip from her lids. She takes his hands and begins to speak. "We need to talk."

_So you don't know were you're going, and you wanna talk  
And you feel like you're going where you've been before  
You tell anyone who'll listen but you feel ignored  
Nothing's really making any sense at all  
Let's talk, let's ta-a-alk  
Let's talk, let's ta-a-alk_

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Okay, I know I didn't focus in on Peyton, odd considering it's about her. Next chapter will be all about Peyton. Let me know what you think!


	2. The Sleeping Sickness

Wow guys, the response has been overwhelming, and I cannot express how glad I am that you all enjoyed the first chapter! I found writing Peyton's part was a little more difficult, strange as that is. Next chapter is the last, I hope this is as enjoyable as the first!

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_I awoke  
Only to find my lungs empty  
And through the night  
So it seems I'm not breathing  
And now my dreams are nothing like they were meant to be  
And I'm breaking down, I think I'm breaking down_

Mia's her one and only client. She's all the talent this label contains at this time, but the stress of the label breathing down her back, the constant strain of the impending movie and Julian being in town, and now the mystery illness or whatever her body was going through - causes her to snap at Mia.

The dejected look on the young singer's face hits home with Peyton, but she stays stoic, sticking by her statement of life's too short, while falling back to the couch.

Today has been filled with nothing but thoughts of what could be happening. The doctor had asked about family history of cancer, as soon as the words had left the elderly man, she'd felt like someone had punched her in the gut, and fought against every instinct to not double over. Cancer wasn't something she'd been thinking about.

It is now.

There had been very few times in her life where she ever even considered the _possibility_ that one day she'd be stricken with the illness. When Ellie had revealed her diagnosis, and when her birth mother had subsequently died.

Once her and Lucas had talked about children. She worried, albeit then only slightly, about passing the gene down.

Since they'd been back together, along with the topic of their impending wedding and marriage, the subject of children had risen a few times, but brushed aside for future discussion. It was definite they both wanted to have kids some day - Lucas will make an amazing father, she thinks.

Her head pounds and her heart nearly stops - if she has… ovarian _cancer_ - the word is all together painful to think at this point - it's possible she'll never be able to bear children… or be around long enough to think of that option.

She closes her eyes, images flashing through her mind - Lucas moving on, marrying another, being the father to another woman's kids.

She wants him to be the father to _their_ children.

Willing herself to calm down, she stands, shaking her limbs, trying to bring relief to her stiff body and worried mind.

_Lucas_. She feels horrible for keeping him in the dark, but she doesn't want to worry him for nothing.

She knows that once this has all passed, and they can - _hopefully_ - put this behind them, he'll lightly scold her for not letting him bear the brunt with her.

Peyton feels a sob rise in her throat, desperately choking it back. She's not sure why, but today she has been so determined to be void of emotion.

So far it's not working.

This is the twelfth time today the urge to collapse into a fit of tears has overwhelmed her.

Peyton tells herself for the twelfth time today that nothing is certain. The doctor hasn't called her, she doesn't know for sure what - if anything - is wrong.

But she feels it. There's something.

The pain has subsided for the past few hours, but the lingering dread hasn't.

_And I'm afraid  
To sleep because of what haunts me  
Such as living with the uncertainty  
That I'll never find the words to say  
Which would completely explain  
Just how I'm breaking down_

Moments after the doctor has dispensed the results and hung up, she's still holding the phone to her ear, unbelieving.

She'd been exploring all of the possible scenarios all day. But still his words threw her for a loop.

Can this really be happening to her? To them?

Feeling faint, she dials a more familiar number, waiting to hear his voice. As soon as he picks up, she wastes no time.

"I need to tell you something…" she whispers, trying hard to keep her stomach from churning. "I collapsed the other day at work. The night you had that weird dream."

She hears his sharp breathing and squeezes her eyes shut. _"Why didn't you tell me? Are you okay - what does that mean?"_

Part of her starts to smile at his obvious concern for her, but the other part starts to crumble.

"I've been having pain for a few days… I didn't want to tell you in case it was nothing. But I went to the doctor's…"

Sobs are no longer of concern, as she lets them go, almost unchecked. She just needs him to hold her.

It's been a long day, and things are never going to be the same.

"_Peyton, I need you to please tell me what's going on - what happened at the doctor's?" _His voice has taken on a slight screech, and if this were under any other circumstance, she'd tease him for being so damn cute.

Peyton doesn't know how much to reveal, or even how she feels - slightly numb, maybe - disguising what she really wants to feel.

"They ran some tests, took some blood. And then this picture of Ellie. I've been looking at it all day. I can't stop thinking, worrying…" Picking up the picture once more, she runs her fingertips across herself in the picture. She's babbling and she knows it. She's as lost as the words she can't seem to form.

She doesn't need to see her fiancée to know he's wearing his worrying-broody face on.

"_Are you okay, Peyton?"_

Knowing he can't see her, she shakes her head frantically anyways. "I… no. Yes. I don't know - I just… I need you, Lucas."

She hears him exclaim that he's leaving right away, and guilt eats at her heart. This movie is everything he's been waiting for - it's everything that he wants and needs, and she doesn't want to take that away from him. She knows him, though, and after this conversation there's nothing she can say to make him stay there. So she tells me she loves him and sets the phone down.

A wave of dizziness washes over her, and so she decides a walk home in the fresh air is what she needs.

_Someone come and, someone come and save my life  
Maybe I'll sleep when I am dead  
But now it's like the night is taking sides  
With all the worries that occupy the back of my mind  
Could it be this misery will suffice?_

She's been tossing and turning for hours. Honestly, she hasn't even begun to process what the doctor relayed - she doesn't know how to feel, how to tell Lucas, how they're going to deal with what lies ahead.

To her, none of it seems okay. It all seems jumbled.

Peyton had closed her eyes once to try to fall asleep - she'd woken up gasping for breath, lingering remnants of her dream clouding her thoughts: She and Lucas were years older, sitting at the river court, watching a little curly blonde girl dribbling a basketball, while doting on a blonde baby boy. Her heart constricts as her mouth runs dry. Tears spring to her eyes, and she tries desperately to fall back to sleep.

Then she hears the front door open, and moments later, she can feel his presence in their room. He's taking in her form - and she's sure that if this were any other moment, he'd be peeling the clothes from her frame and settling on top of her. She craves that warmth.

But it isn't. And he won't.

He's much too worried; she can feel it flowing off of him in waves.

After he's settled and kissed her neck, she realizes that she has almost drifted off, his presence soothing her - but they need to talk. Forcing her eyes open, she looks down, seeing his arm draped over her stomach, and then it hits her - he's home.

In an instant, she finds herself buried into his arms, trying not to break down - his scent and the warmth of his chest bring a sense of calm to her before she feels him pushing her away slightly.

And here it comes. The dreaded talk.

She hears him speak her name and snaps it together, "I need to tell you something, Lucas."

He makes a quick joke, trying to lighten the tension within the room, and for a moment she feels grateful - almost smiles, even. It's short lived as he moves them into a better position for a serious talk - and he sees everything that has caused her sense of panic the past sixteen hours.

Tears flood her eyes as he catches on - although she's sure he's been thinking this over the course of the flight, and when he asks the question he's been mulling over all evening, her heart sinks.

"I have to ask. Peyton, do you have cancer?" His voice trembles and she wants to comfort him, despite the turmoil she's been in all day.

Taking his hands in hers, she breathes deep - they might not be ready for this, but it can't be avoided. "We need to talk."

_Someone come and, someone come and save my life  
Maybe I'll sleep when I am dead  
But now it's like the night is taking sides  
With all the worries that occupy the back of my mind  
Could it be this misery will suffice?_

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I realize this might be repetitive for some of you, but I felt I needed to show her side of the story, I didn't want to rush the story - the next update won't take long, I've got it all planned out.

Let me know what you think!


	3. Let It Be Me

Here it is, the last chapter. Over so soon! Thanks for all the reviews, I love every single one of you for responding, good or bad. I realize the last chapter was a let down after the first, but I hope this is a good ending for you all.

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_There may come a time, a time in everyone's life  
Where nothin seems to go your way  
Where nothing seems to turn out right_

Feeling her hands tremble beneath his, Lucas is blown away by her next words,

"Lucas… I don't have cancer." She takes a breath, and proceeds forward. "I'm pregnant."

His grip on her hands loosens, and he stares at the wall ahead, unseeing.

The overwhelming sense of dread that has followed him from LA to Tree Hill is suddenly released, being replaced with relief and… happiness? He thinks that's what he feels.

Of course that's what he feels.

So why is it that he can't tell if his girl is relieved or devastated?

"Oh my God," he breathes, "you're pregnant? Baby, you're pregnant?"

Peyton nods, biting her lip in an overly adorable manner.

But she doesn't seem happy, a fact which tears at his heart. He figures she's been more than upset all day today, probably thinking of the worst - so now that this miracle was presenting itself, Lucas can't understand why she isn't joining in his relief.

"Peyton, this is amazing!" He exclaims. Pushing further, he begins to ramble, "I mean, I know this is a lot sooner than we expected, but I've always wanted to have a baby with you. And now we are, and I can't think of anything better."

Seeing the tears well in her eyes - and not the joyous tears she shed at the airport when they'd reunited, but the lost tears she'd spared when they broke up - he feels as if she's physically burned him. "Peyton, why aren't you happy?"

Hearing his voice shake, and the somberness at a time when they should be rejoicing, she shrugs away from him. "Lucas we… _I_, can't do this."

His heart drops to his stomach and he's torn between sobbing and shaking sense into her. "What do you mean? You can't do this? We've talked about this…I thought you wanted to have a child with me."

She wants to hold onto him, kiss away the worry lines and celebrate - but this isn't something she can bring herself to do.

Lucas watches her move from the bed and begin to pace. And then it hits him.

_There may come a time, you just cant seem to find your place  
For every door you walk on to, seems like they get slammed in your face  
Thats when you need someone, someone that you can call._

She's lost two mothers - one woman who had loved her completely, raised her and looked after her. The other woman who she quickly found out she was more alike than she wanted to be, but ended up loving wholeheartedly. Peyton hadn't had an easy life, things never came easy for her. She was running - she'd done it before, and he can't say he's all together surprised right now.

He gets up, reaching out to her, stilling the movement of her body. She pauses in his arms, but can't bring herself to reach his face with her eyes. "Peyton, tell me what's going on."

His gentle demand wipes her emotionless state away, and she falls into his arms, tears running down her cheeks. Just as her knees give way, Lucas catches her, carrying them back to the bed.

"Do you think…" he pauses, and starts again. "I don't know what you're thinking right now - but if you're thinking that maybe we're not ready, then okay, I'll give you that. But we're getting married, Peyton. We'll be ready, I promise. And we'll do amazing."

She brings a hand up to his face, stunned by his solid - never wavering - faith in her, and them. "You would make an amazing father, Luke."

Swallowing hard, he can't help but notice the tense of her words. "I would? No, Peyton… I _will_. And you _will_ make an amazing mother."

Peyton shakes her curls quickly. "It's not that simple."

Not bothering to hold back his frustration, Lucas groans and falls back against the bed. "No, Peyton - it is that simple. You're making it difficult."

She wants to be angry with him, but she's taking away the best celebration they could ever have. She's angry with herself, in fact. "I'm sorry, Luke."

"What does that mean, Peyton? You're sorry? For what?"

Even though she wants to tell him this is going to the best experience of their lives.

That she can't wait to have a baby with him.

She lets her fear speak instead. "I don't want to do this."

Lucas's hand comes to his chest, as if she's physically wounded his heart. Tears flood his eyes and he can't look at her. "You don't want to do this?" His voice his dangerously low.

"Ever? Or with me?"

He's speaking out of hurt, and she knows this. Peyton whimpers, reaching out to grab his hand, but he moves it out of her grasp.

"Luke…"

Lucas shakes his head. "No. I know that you've had a really rough time. I know that losing both of your mothers pains you every single day. I know because of that, you sometimes wonder how good of a mother you'll be. But I want you to know that you shouldn't - because I know, enough for both of us that you are going to be the best mother to our child."

Usually Lucas always gets it - he always understands her. But he's off base this time, and it surprises her in a way - but then it doesn't. He's pegged down the typical Peyton Sawyer response.

But this isn't a situation she's ever come across.

"That's not it, Luke. It's not. You know I've always wanted to be a mother-"

Fury is rising within him, it's almost hard to contain, but he squelches it for fear of saying something inappropriate. "I know, which is why I'm so thrown off right now."

Peyton begins wringing her hands together. "When I collapsed, I had absolutely no idea what was going on. The doctor began questioning me about the history of cancer with Ellie, and I got scared - it all added up. So all day long, after the appointment, I had - in one way or another - began to convince myself that's what it was."

Her voice is trembling, and all he wants is to hold her. He settles for placing a hand on her knee. She gratefully interlocks her fingers with his.

"So when I get the call saying I'm pregnant, my first reaction was relief. I cried - tears of joy, Luke. I was so happy. All of the pain I'd conjured up was something I never would have to go through, or put you through."

Lucas furrows his brow, rubbing his neck. "Okay, so what happened between then and now Peyt? You've lost me."

"I thought I had cancer, Luke," she stresses. As if those words will suddenly make him see.

They don't.

_And when all your faith is gone  
Feels like you cant go on  
Let it be me  
Let it be me  
If its a friend that you need  
Let it be me  
Let it be me _

"We're getting married, and now having a baby. Everything should be perfect, Luke."

Lucas smiles and for a moment he forgets all of the turmoil that is entrapped their room. All he sees is the woman he's going to spend the rest of his life with, who's now pregnant with his child. Nothing in the world can match up to this.

"Then I thought about it. Ellie had me, a little younger than I am now. She still got cancer, Luke. What if I still do? I've escaped it for now, but what if somewhere in the future it finds me?"

He wishes he could dispute that fact, come up with some fancy speech to calm her down and make everything okay, but he can't because she's right. His insides begin to twist.

His happiness is dwindling by the second.

"Even worse - what if our child, someday, is inflicted because of my family history? I couldn't do that to him or her. That would break my heart, Luke. How can I do that?"

They sit in silence for seconds, both pondering over her words. At least now he's gained some insight, but he has to find a way to make this okay. She has to have this baby. He already loves it.

Not to mention the fact that if they were to… terminate this pregnancy, he knows they might not survive. Individually and as a couple.

"Babe, I know where you're coming from, I get it. I have HCM - there's a fifty percent chance that our child can contract it - if there wasn't the cancer gene in your family, would that fact stop you? Would you hold that against me?"

Peyton opens her mouth to speak but is stunned, abruptly closing it back again. Of course she wouldn't. She could never. So she only shakes her head. "No," she whispers.

"Then Peyton, why would you think I would hold it against you? Or why should this hinder us? There are a ton of other things that could happen - even if it wasn't from you, cancer is still something that anyone can be inflicted with-"

"Exactly!" She exclaims. "There are so many horrible factors, Luke. And okay, let's say our child doesn't come down with either of these things - what if _I_ still get cancer, Luke? Ellie couldn't fight it, who's to say I can? I will not leave my child motherless. I've been through it, and I couldn't bear to do that to him or her. Or you, Luke."

His frustration has ebbed, replaced with a pang in his chest - he's hurting for her. He wants to make it all better, but she's so convinced. He speaks from his heart, hoping that it's enough.

"Because you're Peyton Sawyer. Because you've been through more in twenty three years than most people go through in a lifetime, and you've come out fine each time. And if, God forbid, you ever did - we'd fight it together. Now that this has happened, we'll make sure you get checked out on a regular basis. Peyton, there's always the what if's, okay? We can't let them hold us back from living our lives."

Her resolve is starting to wear thin. It's not his words, but the pleading in his eyes, and the feeling in her heart.

Lucas pulls them up off the bed, standing directly in front of her. He leans in and presses his forehead to hers. He takes both of her hands between his, laying a kiss upon the knuckles while gazing into her eyes. "Peyton, we made a baby. Just… don't think about everything else okay? Think about the fact that we created something that's half you and half me. Our love did that."

Peyton's stomach flips over and a smile starts to crack. Oh God, she thinks, that is the most amazing thing she's ever heard.

"Could you really get rid of our baby? There's a baby in here," he moves his hand down to her cloth covered abdomen, slowly moving the fabric upwards, placing his warm hand on the smooth flesh. A thrill runs through each of them. "_Our _baby."

_Now I remember all to well  
Just how it feels to be all alone  
You feel like you'd give anything  
For just a little place you can call your own  
That's when you need someone, someone that you can call _

Tears rapidly release themselves from her lids and she lets out a soft sob. "Oh God, Luke."

"I'm so selfish," she murmurs.

Lucas shakes his head adamantly. "No, you're not. I promise."

His arms wrap around her, pulling their upper bodies flush together. He loves this woman. He loves this woman that's going to have _his_ baby.

Suddenly it's too much to take. He lifts her head and crashes their lips together. Right now, he wants nothing more than to be as close to her as possible, and the feel of their lips melding together is the best way to get this task accomplished.

And the fact that her leg has somehow wrapped around him, and beginning to move up and down his backside. Yeah, that works too, he thinks.

Lucas's hands move up to bury themselves within her thick mess of curls. A moan releases from the back of her throat, serving as a reality check to Lucas.

Moments ago they were deciding the fate over this pregnancy, and now they're about to move forward to the bed?

It's all moving a little too fast. And he cannot proceed without knowing she's changed her mind.

Reluctantly pulling back from her lips, the whimper that resounds from her almost pulls him back in. The noises she makes are all together too amazing. Especially to know that he's the cause of them.

"Peyt," he murmurs into her hair, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Hmm?" Her hands are against his chest, and feeling his beating heart underneath the heated skin is too much - how can she be expected to focus at a time like this?

"Peyt, are you ready for this?"

Her eyes snap up to his, just taking in the clear blue - the emotion is strong and nearly takes her breath away.

She knows the answer to that question. After all of the inner struggle and turmoil, there's only one possible outcome.

"I'm scared, Luke - but this is our baby. We're going to have a baby."

Lucas's features light up, and he lifts her into his arms, reaching down to pull her legs firmly around him.

Their lips find a way back together, moving in harmony - his tongue swipes against her lower lip, and she pushes against his chest.

"I love you, you know that?"

His eyes flood, once again, with unshed tears. He walks them back to the bed, laying her gently atop the pillows and sheets. Shedding his t-shirt, he leans down to remove the baggy shirt of his she's donning. As he's pushing it up, he stops on her still flat stomach. Looking up into her sparkling emeralds, he places long, lingering kisses against her smooth flesh.

Tears flow freely from her eyes. This man - her soul mate - is staring at her with all the love in the world, and there's a baby nestled safely in her stomach.

How she could've ever wanted anything other than this escapes her, and she pulls him back to her lips.

"I love you too," he mutters into the kiss.

She figures that this won't be easy - their lives are going to change forever. Mostly, it's going to be for the better, but she knows their will be hardships along the way. But as Lucas Scott is removing the clothes from her body, and reverently whispering his love to her, she knows this is the only outcome she's ever wanted for her life.

_And when all your faith is gone  
Feels like you cant go on  
Let it be me  
Let it be me_

* * *

Thanks for all the support, you amazing people. Let me know what you think!


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